Kevin Durant is the clear top priority for the Knicks and conventional wisdom suggests New York wouldn't part ways with Porzingis unless they were pretty confident in their chances to win the Kevin Durant sweepstakes.

"The only reason you can justify doing it is you have some level of certainty in your own mind that you're getting KD and Kyrie, or KD and whatever," a rival executive said.

Others were more blunt. "It means they're pretty sure they're getting KD," said a rival exec who believes the Knicks have already been told Durant is coming.

Let's be very clear here -- all of this is pure speculation at this point. Many people in the basketball world think the Knicks were crazy to trade Porzingis in the hopes they can convince the reigning two-time Finals MVP to sign on the dotted line.

But perhaps they don't even really have to do much convincing or recruiting?